The Nature of Love
by Prophet19
Summary: Seven years after the end of the war, Avatar Aang comes to a painful realization and makes a hard choice.
1. Suspect Heart

**Unfaithful**

(NOTE) I really have no idea what inspired me to write this, since I hate Kataang. But, in a way, this is both Kataang and Zutara, and it's kind of moody...I think. Just a little one-shot I wanted to throw up in the air along with the return of Book Three: Fire Rekindled. Enjoy. And by the way, if you don't dislike the Avatar, don't read this. If you do read, don't send me any angry reviews, because I warned you.

(UPDATE) Let me clear one thing up: This is listed under the tags of Aang/Katara because they **are the only characters**. Zuko is mentioned, but is not actually present, and therefore is not a character. Kataangers beware. This is not Aang friendly.

((UPDATE))

Story was changed to Zuko/Katara for simplicity. This is still 'Unfaithful', which landed me a number of unhappy reviewers.

_Adversus solem ne loquitor_

* * *

The war was over, things were peaceful, and as far as the world was concerned, the good guy got the girl.

In the public eye, Avatar Aang and Katara were the embodiment of love and happiness, and many even compared their own love to theirs. And true, when viewed abrstractly, it was an endearing tale.

A hero returns after a hundred years of war and sorrow. He saves the world, and falls in loove with a common peasant girl. It would have been a great tale, if it were true.

Very few outside of a small triangle knew that the Avatar lived with a terrible pain. He had been blissfully unaware for almost seven years, until one night he came home late.

* * *

_It had been a long day that became a long night, and Aang was glad to leave the palace. Not even Zuko's newly found dry humor had made the towers of paperwork more than barely tolerable. Aang stopped and spent a few moments with Appa, the Bison grunting as he rolled onto his back so Aang could pat his stomach._

_"There you go buddy. We'll go flying tomorrow, okay?"Appa grunted his acceptance, and Aang left the stable._

_Aang walked up to the small home he and Katara shared, and quietly closed the door, fully aware that Katara was probably asleep._

_Aang yawned, scratching Momo's ears as he passed the sleeping lemur, and walked up the stair to the bedroom. He smiled at how the moonlight bathed Katara's sleeping form in a soft light, and slipped into bed beside her, closing his eyes to sleep._

_Katara rolled over in her sleep, arms wrapping around him, and Aang opened his eyes, his heart wrenching when she muttered a name._

_"Zuko."_

_The Avatar did not sleep that night, or many nights after._

* * *

And of course, the Avatar didn't want to see the truth. He tried to ignore what others were notricing, but were too polite to mention. He looked away from the secretive smiles, how Katara and the Fire Lord brushed against each other perhaps too often, or how Katara never wanted to travel with him, preferring their small apartment in the Fire Nation's capitol city.

But ignorance became impossible the first night Aang came back sooner than he had expected, and she was gone.

* * *

_Aang scratched Appa's ear once more, and the bison grunted in his sleep, nose wrinkling as Momo settled there, joining his bigger friend in slumber._

_Aang laughed, and left the stable, moving up the short path to his darkened home. Aang opened the door. "Katara?"_

_There was no answer, and Aang flushed, realizing she must have been asleep. He lit a small lamp with a wave of his hand, and scooted up the steps, smiling. He opened the door to their bedroom, and entered. "Katara?"_

_She wasn't there. Aang frowned, and walked back down the stairs, wondering where his girlfriend was._

_Aang sat despondently on a chair, and waited. Several hours later, Katara returned, dressed up like she used to for their dates. She closed the door, softly singing something about seasons and loves, when she noticed Aang._

_"Aang!" She greeted him with a big smile, a hug, and a brief chaste kiss. "I didn't realize you would be back today."_

_"I didn't think so either." Aang mumbled tiredly. "Where were you?"_

_"I met some new friends while you were gone." Katara replied quickly. "We went out for a night on the town."_

_"Oh, okay." Aang yawned. "I'm tired."_

_Katara took his hand. "Let's go to bed and sleep, then."_

_The Avatar waited for her many nights after that._

* * *

It hurt so badly that he could scarcely bear to hide it. The Avatar wished it would stop, that whatever caused it would go away. The Fire Lord had a small family to take care of, and the Avatar wanted one with Katara...even though she hurt him so badly.

It was terrible, but the Avatar knew that she would go again. And again. And again, and that one day, he would lose her all together.

And it felt like a knife twisting in his back.

* * *

_Katara studied herself briefly in the mirror, smiling softly as she wore an elegantly shimmering silk dress, one dyed in her native blue and white rather than the grteen and gold she had been wearing._

_"You look good in that dress." Aang told her, smiling softly. But, like so often anymore, it couldn't reach his eyes. His smiles never reached his eyes anymore, or any other emotion._

_Katara laughed. "I'm glad you think so." She didn't even turn around as she checked her appearence in the mirror. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"_

_Aang shook his head. "No. I have to leave tomorrow and help Bumi with a project. I need to pack."_

_"You didn't tell me you were leaving." Katara replied calmly, undoing the braids in her hair._

_Aang ruffled Momo's fur. "Would you even care?" He spoke softly enough Katara wouldn't hear. As he watched her comb out her hair, the Avatar spoke louder. "I'm sorry. It slipped my mind until today."_

_Katara nodded, finished with her quick hairstyling. Her hair was done up in the style she had used back before the war ended, when they had infilitrated the Fire Nation. __"I'll be back tonight, Aang." She promised with a brief kiss, and was out the door._

_Aang bowed his head, staring at the wooden floor. "I love you Katara. Can't you see you're killing me?"_

_Aang's tears disturbed Momo, who chattered mournfully. Aang wiped his eyes. "Can't I make her happy?"_

* * *

Aang had thought loving Katara was enough. He certainly thought that he _more than_ loved her, and that Katara had felt the same. Aang had heard her prophecy. He was the most powerful bender in the world...who else could she have ended up with? Aang was enough for her...wasn't he?

The Avatar was beginning to think he was wrong, and it hurt terribly.


	2. Confrontation

I would like to note this has been written for a long time. It wasn't written in response to any of the reviews.

And I will say once more: Don't 'flame' if you don't like it. I don't know why anyone would read a story whose subject they found offensive, but those who do, please simply state why you disliked it and move on. (Act mature, in other words.)

_Adversus solem ne loquitor._

* * *

**Beautiful Disaster**

It had been two years of pain. Two years of pain not just for Aang, but, he had learned, two others as well. Aang sat in the shadows, his heart breaking as he thought about his choice. He had been raised to put others first, and now he was going to: two people he loved dearly. The pain would end. At least, Aang hoped it would.

Two years had passed since Aang had discovered he didn't have Katara's heart, even though she pretended he did. Aang frowned, the day Mai had left running through his mind. Zuko had told him about it one night, and Aang felt proud he had not felt spitefully pleased.

* * *

_"You seem distracted, Zuko." Aang commented neutrally, sitting in the window of Zuko's private office._

_"It shows that much?" Zuko asked blandly, his voice hoarse with exhaustion._

_"Iroh says you've been working too hard. You never get any sleep unless he forces you to bed." Aang continued, real concern entering his voice. Even with the growing anger he felt toward his friend, Aang could not help but worry._

_"There is a lot of work to do." Zuko gestured at a stack of unsealed scrolls. "The Earth Kingdom still refuses to ratify the treaty pertaining to the colonies. They want full control, and all Fire Nation citizens gone, or nothing."_

_"What's wrong with that?" Aang asked. "It was…and is, Earth Kingdom land."_

_Zuko inhaled sharply, and Aang tensed, thinking maybe he'd pressed too hard. Finally Zuko sighed. "I know that, Aang. But you…and the Earth Kingdom leaders must understand that many of those citizens were born in the colonies, as were their parents and sometimes even grandparents. Fuu Colony, for instance. It was the second colony established by Sozin, and for the last hundred years, my people have lived and died there. It is their home."_

_Aang frowned. "I understand." He shuffled slightly. "I'll take this to the Earth King himself. He'll understand when I explain." Aang saw Zuko nod slightly, and frowned again. "Something else is bothering you."_

_Zuko looked at his younger friend. "Mai left. I…I guess I was just used to her being here. I'm taking it harder than I would have thought."_

_Aang nodded. "Any idea where she went? Will she come back?"_

_"I don't know, Aang."_

* * *

Aang looked up as the door opened, and Katara walked in, smiling as she carried a basket full of groceries. "Aang, you'll never guess what I found in the market…"

Aang interrupted Katara, speaking quickly so he wouldn't change his mind out of what he percieved as selfishness. "We need to talk, Katara."

Something in his tone startled Katara into silence. She set the basket down. "What's wrong, Aang?"

* * *

_"Well, did Mai at least tell you why?" Aang persisted._

_Zuko set his quill aside, and looked thoughtful. "Mai told me…" Zuko stopped, and then shook his head. "She said I don't love her. Not like she wants me too."_

_Aang stared at the back of Zuko's head, wondering if Zuko was playing with him. "What does that mean?"_

_Zuko turned his chair and looked at Aang. "Nothing. Aang, I was going to spend the rest of my life with her. I was faithful to her. I don't know why she didn't understand that."_

_"Maybe she thought you were in love with someone else." Aang stated slowly, fishing._

_Zuko laughed harshly, and Aang saw something heart-breaking in the Fire Lord's eyes. "Aang, even if I was, I wouldn't act on it. I am not my father."_

* * *

"How long have you been in love with Zuko?" Aang demanded. He sensed Katara's heart beating faster, and knew he was right. "Please don't lie, Katara."

Katara sank weakly into a chair. "Aang, I don't know what to tell you."

Aang shook his head, and asked a question he really did not want the answer to. "Does he know?"

"Aang, no! I wouldn't…" Katara looked disappointed, and suddenly, Aang felt a tenseness leave him, and for a giddy moment, he relaized he was relieved that they hadn't been...

In that moment, Aang realized something about the nature of true love.

"Oh, Katara." Aang sat down across from the waterbender. "You shouldn't have hidden these feelings. It wasn;t fair to me, and tt's hurt me, thinking all this time that you and he were…" Aang stopped, and looked at Katara, catching her gaze. "He loves you too."

At the startled look on Katara's face, Aang now felt better about his choice. "Katara, I'm leaving to tour the world." His hands shook slightly, so the Avatar clenched them into fists. "I want you to be happy, you understand? I…" Aang turned on his heel and raced for the door, ignoring Katara as she called for him to come back.

Tears fell from his cheeks and Aang soared on his glider to meet Appa in the sky. He felt a startling mixture of emotions, dismay, sadness, and even relief. Aang held onto the one thing he had just learned:

If you truly love someone, you won't chain them down. If you truly love someone, you'll let go to live their own lives.

Guru Pathik had been right, so many years ago. And, Aang realized...he felt truly free for the first time in years.


End file.
